Carl's Jr. boom box beating death ruled a homicide

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The death of a San Francisco man after he was allegedly struck by a transient wielding a boom box inside a Tenderloin fast-food restaurant on Saturday has been deemed a homicide.

Matthew Adams, 38, of San Francisco, was found dead Saturday night inside his apartment in the 1100 block of Market Street, just doors down from the Carl's Jr. where he was assaulted several hours earlier, homicide Lt. Mike Stasko said.

The medical examiner's office ruled the death to be a homicide Tuesday afternoon, according to police spokeswoman Lt. Lyn Tomioka.

Stasko said Adams and his girlfriend were sitting inside the restaurant at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday when the suspect, Edward Holloway, 54, began screaming at him for no apparent reason.

Holloway had been aggressive toward other customers, and when he confronted Adams, Adams tried to stand up. Holloway allegedly hit him in the head with a boom box he was carrying, Stasko said.

"He was knocked out like a light," Stasko said.

When Adams regained consciousness, he refused medical treatment, but when his girlfriend went to check on him that night in his apartment, she found him dead, Stasko said.

Police arrested Holloway on Sunday night in the 1200 block of Market Street. He was initially booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing serious bodily injury.

Stasko said Holloway has been arrested previously for violent crimes and had outstanding warrants for selling items on Market Street without a permit.